Forgotten Stars Blogathon: Evelyn Brent

This is my entry in the Classic Movie Blog Association Forgotten Stars blogathon. Click HERE to read more entries about stars who were once at the top of the heap.

EVELYN BRENT: 

The Scowling Seductress of the Silents

the beauteous Evelyn Brent

The rise and fall of Evelyn Brent is a true Hollywood story. Born Mary Elizabeth Riggs in either Tampa, Florida or Syracuse, New York in either 1895 or 1899 or 1901, Betty, as she was always known to friends, shook off her drab beginnings and, starting in 1915, she began appearing in silent films made in Fort Lee, New Jersey. After an initial start under her own name, she soon became Evelyn Brent. After World War I, Evelyn moved to London,where she worked steadily on the stage and in films until 1922 when she decided to try her luck in Hollywood.

Possessed of a mature beauty and an alluring scowl, Evelyn hit the ground running in Hollywood. Besides being named a WAMPAS Baby Star in 1923 (along with other budding stars Eleanor Boardman, Laura La Plante and Jobyna Ralston) and was signed to an exclusive contract with Douglas Fairbanks. Unfortunately, Doug failed to find a role for her, and she left his company to work for Associated Authors, FBO, Fox and eventually Paramount, carving a niche as the ultimate lady crook and moll. While most beautiful women are known for a beautiful smile, Evelyn was known for her scowl.From her first role in 1915 through her last silent film made in 1928, Evelyn made  over 65 films. Sadly, most of Evelyn's silent films are lost. Although most were programmers, Evelyn was always singled out for her beauty and acting.

By 1926, Evelyn was an experienced pro and finally was making her way into the front rank of stars. In 1926 she was top billed over a scene stealing Louise Brooks in "Love 'Em and Leave 'Em" and garnered great reviews in a sympathetic part.

Louise Brooks later had some rather unkind things to say about Evelyn and her acting style, but when did Louise ever give another female co-star a break?

Seriously glam

Things got even better for Evelyn when Joseph Von Sternberg selected her to star in his next 2 films. As Feathers McCoy in the 1927 classic "Underworld" Brent showed that she had the stuff day dreams are made of. Draped in feathers by Travis Banton, Evelyn proved herself a star who could hold her own with the best.

Evelyn as sexy Feathers McCoy

Things got even better when Von Sternberg chose her again for 1928's "The Last Command." Starring opposite the great Emil Jannings, she garnered great reviews and was poised for super-stardom. 

Evelyn and Emil Jannings in "The Last Command"

Evelyn as Cleopatra: a film that never was

Unfortunately, 1928 was the to be the height of Evelyn's career.  Her 2 greatest performances were under Von Sternberg's direction. One wonders if Evelyn's professional fate would have been different if Dietrich had not shown up. Shortly after those 2 great films sound and some bad luck would find Evelyn on the outside looking in.

Evelyn rocked it in this butterfly hostess gown in "Interference"

Having had stage experience, Evelyn did not fear sound and appeared to good notices in Paramount's first talking feature "Interference" (1928).  Her voice was good, but not especially distinctive and, somehow, the allure of her silent scowl lost a little luster when she spoke. In addition, her personal woes seemed to tarnish her professional reputation. 2 bad marriages and lots of money troubles left Evelyn broke and, by the early 1930s, playing secondary roles in bad films and touring in vaudeville.

A star has to keep track of her shoes

The scent of a star is a complicated thing

In typical Evelyn fashion, she seemed not to mind the loss of luxury and life on the road, but she soon came back to Hollywood (with husband #3: Harry Fox of foxtrot fame) and settled into a life of low budget films and small parts. She almost always received good reviews and the critics and audiences alike always seemed to welcome her presence, but the star ship had sailed for Evelyn Brent.

By 1937 former stars Brent and Louise Brooks were
posing as also rans in a low-budget film. Louise's part was cut
and Evelyn is barely seen in "King of Gamblers"

Evelyn Brent once represented the femme fatale glamour of a true Hollywood star, but as time went on she became a forgotten star. She worked steadily through the 30s and 40s, always getting good reviews and always appearing in forgettable films. She worked for a while for a talent agency, but had retired by 1950. She was still on the casting lists for small roles and extra work when she died in 1975.

In 1972 film historian John Kobal sought her out and found a "gaunt old woman with wiry hair" who lived modestly and spoke candidly and freely about her former life. What is clear from the interview is that Evelyn Brent never really wanted to be a star. She lacked the drive of a Crawford or Davis and when the going got tough Evelyn did not fight for her position as a star. Instead, she was content to fade into the background with her third husband (a happy marriage at last). She was proud of her career, especially of the films made with Von Sternberg, and she harbored no grudges and nursed no grudges. She had a bite of the apple and was content. Mr. Kobal summed up Evelyn perfectly:

"In 1927, the year of "Underworld," Evelyn Brent had appeared in films for thirteen years; that year she had starred in four films. In 1928 she starred in seven; seven in '29; five in '30. In 1933 she made only one film, and none in 1934. When she returned in '36, she appeared in bit parts. She was born in 1899 and died in 1975 of a heart attack. There was no failure in Evelyn's life - the failure lay in others, those who tried to make her a star. Evelyn didn't want to be a star, she just wanted to work.  And, at that she was a success, right to the end."

Gary Cooper was once head over heels in love with Evelyn.
Can you blame him?

Evelyn claims her place on the Walk of Fame

Source material included  John Kobal's "People will Talk" and "Evelyn Brent: The Life and Films of Hollywood's Lady Crook" by Lynn Kear and James King. The latter has an extensive Evelyn Brent filmography.

2015 FlickChick Calendars Are Here!

The 2015 FlickChick Calendar theme is "Stars and Their Pets." This year I went for a nicer, sturdier stock paper, so this wall calendar will withstand anything 2015 can throw at it.

Here is the year of stars and their pets:

Cover: 

Cary Grant and his pooch, Archibald Leach. Clever name, no?

January: 

Vivien Leigh and her beloved Siamese

February: 

James Cagney and his pups

March: 

Theda Bara and her elegant borzoi

April: 

Peter O'Toole and his tea party pals

May: 

Audrey Hepburn and her pet fawn

June: 

John Boles and his stubborn schnauzer

July: 

Clara Bow and her chow chow

August: 

Chaplin and his feline friend share a moment

September: 

Jean Harlow and her fluffy friend

October: 

Rudolph Valentino and Kabar

November: 

Gable and Lombard and friends at their ranch

December: 

Ava Gardner and her corgi

The price is $16. If you are interested, just send me an email at flickchick1953@aol.com and I'll give you the details.

Stage to Screen Blogathon: Marilyn Miller in "Sally"

This is my entry in the Stage to Screen Blogathon hosted by the Rosebud Cinema and Rachel's Theater Reviews. 

This article is a pastiche of several articles I have written about Marilyn Miller

Back in the 1920s it was inconceivable that Marilyn Miller would someday be largely forgotten. I came upon her quite by accident, seeing her name in books about early Hollywood musicals. I had no idea who this great Broadway star was or why she was so famous. After some furious research I got up to speed, read all I could lay my hands on about her and poured over tons of photos. She was a huge star! Why had I never heard of her? And - more important - how could I see her? Photos are one thing, but I hungered to see her perform.

Marilyn Miller: One of Ziegfeld's greatest stars

Marilyn Miller was of the theater. She was a Ziegfeld star in the most rarefied galaxy. Her greatest triumph was in the Jerome Kern musical "Sally," a show that featured her signature song, "Look for the Silver Lining." Before her fame, the name Marilyn was barely found in the U.S. Census records. After America fell in love with her, it was the 16th most popular name in the country. She was known for her talent, her younger than springtime beauty, charm and devotion to her craft. She was also a fashion plate who was equally famous for her many love affairs, salty vocabulary and fondness for alcohol. She worked hard and played hard. She was an authentic diva.

The first Marilyn

Marilyn had a brief brush with silent films and Hollywood in the 1920s when, in 1922, she married Jack Pickford, thus becoming Mary Pickford's sister-in-law (by all accounts, Mary and Marilyn did not hit it off too well). As you can see from this video, everyone who was anyone was there and the star-studded affair held on the grounds of Pickfair.

Newlyweds Jack Pickford and Marilyn Miller

After the honeymoon, the marriage quickly turned toxic and Marilyn, by way of a Paris divorce, beat it back to Broadway. 

Once movies were all talking, all singing, all dancing, Marilyn seemed a good bet for Hollywood stardom. "Sally" was brought to the screen by Warner Brothers in 1929 and Marilyn was famously part of the package. Her salary was exorbitant and her demands that of a diva. Thrifty Jack Warner acquiesced to her demands and fell for her charms. Marilyn was a gal who knew how to get what she wanted. Filmed entirely in early Technicolor, "Sally" only survived for many years in a tattered black and white version. Seeing Marilyn like this it is hard to fathom her appeal. She looks like a painted doll, as the Technicolor make-up looks flat and harsh in black and white. Added to unflattering looks, her singing voice is less than attractive. However, once she starts dancing, well, it all becomes clear. Filmed in full body shots like Fred Astaire a few years later, her love of dancing and entertaining cuts through all of the technical drawbacks of the era. 

Her leading man, Alexander Gray, was a wooden manly baritone, but she has some sweet scenes with Joe E. Brown as a displaced royal down on his luck. One of the supporting stars is Pert Kelton, later the mom in another Broadway to Hollywood film, "The Music Man."

After 2 other films, Marilyn Miller headed back to Broadway. Musicals were dying at the box office and this diva was not interested in failure. Sadly, after one last stage triumph, Marilyn Miller would die in 1936 at the age of 38 from complications related to a sinus infection. 

The footnote that Hollywood was to her fabulous career preserved her great stage success. The late twenties and early thirties movie musicals drew scores of Broadway performers to Hollywood. Most tried their luck and headed back east after one or two attempts. The stage and the screen have very little in common when it comes to star power. Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor, who found success in films, were the exceptions. Big stage stars like Fannie Brice, Gertrude Lawrence, Helen Morgan, The Duncan Sisters, Charles King, Harry Richman and Marilyn Miller came and went. In a twist of irony, the medium scorned by the stage served to preserve the work of these artists for future generations.

Sally's famous "Butterfly Ballet" on Broadway.
How great it would have been to see this in color

Miracles of miracles, a snippet of "Sally" in its original Technicolor was found. It is the "Wild Rose" number and, in it, she is youthful, adorable and flirtatious. Here, she is much lovelier (the make-up now giving her a flattering glow) and her elegance, joie de vivre and enthusiasm is on full display. Filmed on a set that was over 90 degrees, the energy of the dancers is impressive.Her joy in performing is evident in every kick and twirl and here, preserved forever, is Marilyn Miller in all her glory. We catch a glimpse of her magic and she is no longer a mystery, just a name or photo in a book.We understand what made her a Broadway legend.

"Sally" in her wedding dress - the full Hollywood treatment

Marilyn Miller, though no longer a household name, continues to be ever-present on Broadway, her true home. In the late 1920s the I. Miller Shoes (no relation) building was adored with statues of four great theater stars: Ethel Barrymore as Ophelia, representing drama, Rosa Ponselle as Norma, representing music, Mary Pickford as Little Lord Fauntleroy, representing film, and Marilyn Miller as Sunny, representing dance (I wonder how Mary feels being frozen in time next to her despised ex-sister in law?). The building, located at Broadway and West 46th Street in Manhattan, now houses an Express clothing store on street level. But if you stand on the corner and look up, there is Marilyn, surveying her empire. Still.

O Canada Blogathon: Dudley Do-Right and Canadian Manhood

This is my contribution to the O Canada! Blogathon hosted by Speakeasy and Silver Screenings. Click here for more wonder from the Great White North.

English men are charming, 

Italians romantics, 

And Latins can sway you

with their amorous antics.

But Canadians are stalwart and

Prolific of chin.

Their backbones are upright and

and they are free of all sin.

They love with a pure heart,

Their fidelity a bounty,

And none is so pure

As the Canadian Mountie.

Yes, those Mounties. They are not suave, or sophisticated and they can't drape a gal in diamonds on their salary, but boy are they loyal. And none was more loyal than that Mountie Deluxe, Dudley Do-Right.

Dudley Do-Right was handsome, thick as a plank, well-meaning and hopelessly in love with Nell Fenwick, the daughter of Dudley's boss, Inspector Fenwick. Dudley's love was true, but Nell, like most adolescent girls, held more affection for Dudley's horse, Horse. Dudley was usually kept busy rescuing Nell from the clutches of the evil Snidely Wiplash (voiced by that old smoothie, Hans Conreid). Snidely seemed a lot smarter than Dudley, but he was no match for the intellectual prowess of Horse. Plus, his karma was probably bad.

Okay, I know this was a cartoon, but each episode played like a mini silent movie melodrama. Created by Jay Ward and shown during the Rocky and Bullwinkle show, Dudley was the virtuous pale male, Nell the damsel in distress and Snidely the dark villain who twirled his mustache, tied women to train tracks, threw widows and orphans out of their homes when the mortgage wasn't paid and peered over his shoulder wrapper in a sinister black cape. All of this was set to the sound of a lone, melodramatic piano. No wonder I love silent films.

The Perils of Pauline showed Jay Ward how to depict a damsel in distress

So, Dudley do-Right was my vision of the Canadian Mountie:

No - not that one, this one!

Thank you, Canada, for a man so straight and true!